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FEDERAL
EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT
AGENCY
Mitigation
One of the most effective means of
protection is to take steps to make your home and your household
safe from the potential effects of disaster like floods, tornadoes, hurricanes
and earthquakes. This is called mitigation. Ideally, mitigation
measures are implemented before disaster strikes since they can help protect
your household as well as your property. However, even after a disaster
strikes, actions can be taken to avoid or reduce the impact of the next
disaster.
1. If your home was damaged during the disaster, consider implementing
mitigation measures while you repair your home.
2. Be sure that all upgrade construction projects comply with local
building codes that pertain to seismic, flood, fire and wind hazards. Make
sure your contractors follow the codes, including periodic building
inspections of the construction.
3. If you live in a flood-prone area, consider purchasing flood insurance
to reduce your risk to floods. Buying flood insurance to cover the value of a
building and its contents will not only provide greater peace of mind, but
will also speed recovery if a flood occurs. You can call #1-888-FLOOD29 to
learn more about flood insurance.
Also consider options
for reducing your future flood losses (see Homeowner’s Guide to
Retrofitting: Six Ways to Protect Your House From Flooding, FEMA
Publication # 312). The appropriate flood mitigation measure will depend upon
the degree of flood risk to which your home is subject.
For moderate degrees of
flooding, incorporating flood-proofing techniques to meet National Flood
Insurance Program criteria may be the most practical approach to flood damage
reduction. These techniques include taking the following steps to protect
your utilities from flood damages.
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Relocating electric, telephone and
cable lines to the upper level of your home.
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Putting heating, ventilation and air
conditioning units in the upper story or the attic.
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Anchoring or bolting oil tanks to
prevent flotation.
If the homes within your
community have a history of severe, repetitive, flooding, it may be necessary
to consider more substantial measures. Consider the following measures.
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Elevate the structure to or above the
Base Flood Elevation.
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Relocate the structure to a new site
located outside of the 100-year floodplain, outside of
any regulatory erosion zones, and in conformance with any other applicable
state or local land use regulations.
In areas prone to severe
flooding, it may be appropriate to work directly with your local emergency
management official to develop a community-based approach. Additionally, your
local representative will be able to identify potential federal, state, and/or
local funding sources for the implementation of elevation, acquisition or
relocation activities. For example, FEMA offers three state-administered
grant programs to help States and local governments significantly reduce or
permanently eliminate future flood losses: the Hazard Mitigation Grant
Program, Flood Mitigation Assistance Program and Pre-Disaster Mitigation
Program. Individuals may not apply directly to the state or FEMA, but local
governments or private non-profit organizations may apply on behalf of local
citizens.
4. If you live in an area prone to high winds, make sure your roof
is firmly secured to the main frame of the residence. Consider building a wind
“Safe Room or Shelter” in your home to protect your household (see the
“Tornadoes” section in the “Thunderstorms” chapter). There are several
additional steps you can take to reduce wind damages and losses, including the
following:
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Secure light fixtures and other items that could fall or shake loose in such
events.
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Move heavy or breakable objects to low shelves.
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Anchor water heaters and bolt them to wall studs.
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Purchase storm shutters for exterior windows and doors to
protect your home against high winds.
5. If you live in an area likely to have an earthquake, consider
using straps or other restraints to secure cabinets, bookshelves, large
appliances, (especially water heater and furnace), and light fixtures to
prevent damage and injury.
6. Determine ways to prevent other types of hazards in your home,
such as installing a fire sprinkler system.
7. Obtain information specific to your area and home. Ask local
emergency management, fire and police departments, zoning and building
offices, the American Red Cross, hardware dealers, home inspectors, structural
engineers and architects.
8. Ask your local government, a hardware dealer or a private home
inspector for technical advice on these and other mitigation measures.
